Friday, August 10, 2012

Animated Word Problems

Engaging students has always been a considerable challenge for teachers.
Fortunately, there are a vast amount of resources and
technologies available to help meet that challenge. One resource
for upper elementary and middle school students is a catalog of animated word problems that guide students through the process of solving multi-step problems. The
narrator and animated host is a young woman named Infinity
Quick, or IQ for short. The introductory animation shows IQ receiving a new word problem on her
computer. The movie is paused, giving students a few minutes to tackle
the problem on their own. They may then proceed to watch the problem
solving unfold.

The solution to each problem is presented with
diagrams, charts, and calculations. The video solutions may be paused or
replayed as many times as needed. Some of the video solutions contain interactive components, allowing students to further connect
with the math lesson. After
the video presentation, students are invited to try a similar
problem on their own. They are then taken to the practice room where a
new interactive problem is presented. If help is needed, there are a
series of hints available to the student at the press of a button. The
hints make use of illustrations that are familiar to students who have
previously viewed the video. To further assist students, problem solving
tools such as a calculator and a sketch pad are also available.

There are currently 19 problems available covering topics such as fractions, ratios, percentages, probablility, geometry averages and algebra.

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About the Author

Colleen King is a math educator with 15 years experience working with K-12 students in a variety of settings. Colleen publishes MathPlayground.com and develops math games, teaching tools, and learning resources that are used in classrooms throughout the world. She has presented her work at ISTE and NCTM conferences and has co-authored several teaching articles.